UEFA Nations League Matchday 1: What to look out for

The UEFA Nations League is back, and there are some intriguing matches to kick off the 2024/25 campaign, including Serbia vs Spain, France vs Italy and Germany vs Hungary.

UEFA.com assesses some of the main storylines ahead of the first round of fixtures.

League A Matchday 1 fixtures

Thursday 5 September
A1 Portugal vs Croatia
A1 Scotland vs Poland
A4 Denmark vs Switzerland
A4 Serbia vs Spain

Friday 6 September
A2 Belgium vs Israel
A2 France vs Italy

Saturday 7 September
A3 Germany vs Hungary
A3 Netherlands vs Bosnia and Herzegovina

All kick-off times 20:45 CET

European champions return to action

Just under two months since they lifted the Henri Delaunay trophy for a record-breaking fourth time with a 2-1 victory over England in Berlin, EURO 2024 winners Spain return to competitive action with a tricky-looking assignment away against Serbia. Nations League holders La Roja won all seven of their games in Germany while playing some scintillating football, and will be one of the strong favourites to triumph in this competition again after their 2022/23 success.

Serbia, however, will attempt to bring the holders back to earth, and their dangerous front line can pose a threat for any defence. Fresh from playing in their first EURO as an independent nation, Serbia will certainly have no fear, which could make for a fascinating encounter in Belgrade.

Heavyweight meeting in Paris

European giants France and Italy will have no time to ease themselves into their Nations League schedules as they face off in a mouthwatering fixture to launch Group A2. Both sides had relatively underwhelming EURO 2024 campaigns, so will be eager to resume winning ways immediately at the Parc des Princes.

Somewhat surprisingly, this is the teams' first competitive meeting in 16 years, since the Azzurri won a EURO 2008 group stage game 2-0. Les Bleus have, however, won all three friendlies between the countries since. "The draw is a tough one," Italy coach Luciano Spalletti admitted. "It's a continuation of our need to be ready for the tough challenge that lies ahead."

Germany go for maiden title

Despite being one of international football's most successful sides with four World Cup titles and three EURO triumphs, Germany are yet to win a Nations League or even progress beyond the league phase in three attempts. The EURO 2024 hosts were beaten by Spain in July's quarter-final but there was still reason for optimism following a string of fine displays in the tournament. They will bid to keep that momentum going here.

Germany and Hungary, of course, locked horns in the group stage of EURO 2024, the home nation prevailing 2-0 thanks to goals from Jamal Musiala and İlkay Gündoğan. Yet Hungary coach Marco Rossi felt the result might easily have been different, saying: "We created a fair number of chances but were unlucky in some moments. Throughout the match we were unlucky." Can their luck turn in Dusseldorf?

Elsewhere

• Joint-top scorer of the 2022/23 Nations League along with Serbia's Aleksandar Mitrović, Erling Haaland will hope to get off the mark in this campaign when his Norway side travel to Kazakhstan in Group B3 on 6 September.
• Georgia were one of the big stories of EURO 2024 as they made it to the last 16, and they will strive for a positive start to their Nations League efforts on 7 September at home to Czechia in Group B1.
• EURO 2024 runners-up England get their Group B2 campaign under way at neighbours Republic of Ireland in Dublin on 7 September as new interim coach Lee Carsley takes charge of his first match for the Three Lions against the country he represented 40 times as a player.